1. Field of the Invention
A plumbing trap is provided of the type that is easily attached and detached, flexible to provide for obstruction removal without disconnection and is easily adaptable to fit pipes of various types and diameters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A plumbing trap that is easy to service without the necessity of dismantling it from the attached drain pipes has long been the goal of many inventors. Until my invention no trap was provided that was usable with pipes of different sizes and types, was easy to dislodge obstructions from, and was simple enough so that the average homeowner could install and remove it without the use of special tools.
One example of previously available traps is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 178,059 to Hutchins, which is a trap of conventional shape, made of india rubber to prevent bursting from freezing, and which appears to be of tubing that slips on the pipes at each end but which has no provisions for secure attachment, and is not adaptable to different diameters of pipes.
The patent to Havrenius, U.S. Pat. No. 2,484,031 shows a drain trap of rubber with an internal partition forming an S-type of trap, with the ends of the trap containing ridges which grip the drain pipes over which they extend. The Havrenius structure requires the entrance and exit pipes to be in close vertical alignment, would not be useful otherwise, and has no provisions for manual manipulation for obstruction removal.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,992 to Barker et al., illustrates a flexible trap of ball like configuration with internal partitions requiring vertical alignment of the pipes and is not useful in other dispositions.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,314 to Burke et al., shows a flexible drain for sinks, of a modified S-bend shape, which is shown as attached to pipes from two sinks, and connected to one outlet, by slipping it over the pipes and is retained by radiator hose type clamps. The Burke structure requires fairly preceise vertical pipe alignment and is not suitable for other applications.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,978 to Wirth, shows a trap composed of a length of flexible hose, with a removable clamp for maintaining the hose in a U-shape, with male and female end fittings for connections to pipes from a sink and to an outlet pipe connected to a sewer or septic system.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,209 to Rush et al., shows arcuate tubular articles of rigid plastic which can include plumbing traps, requires precise pipe alignment and cannot be compressed to dislodge particles therein.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,208 to McIlroy illustrates a quick release safety trap which is fabricated from a deflectable type of plastic material which is connected at the ends by resilient clamps. The trap is composed of transparent high density polyethylene, cannot be squeezed to dislodge obstructions, is not suitable for connection to many types of drain pipes and cannot be used with pipes of different diameters.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,324 to Olive, illustrates a flexible trap for a waste line assembly to be used with a toilet. The trap cannot be squeezed to dislodge obstructions, and is not suitable for use with pipes of different diameters or with sink drain pipes.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,190 to Itzler illustrates a plumbing device for connecting a sink tailpiece to an out-of-alignment trap. The device has straight rigid end portions and a flexible pleated section therebetween all constructed of blowmolded polyethylene. The Itzler device cannot be squeezed, does not operate as a trap, and does not fit pipes of different diameters.